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Appetizing news from the NASCAR Media Tour

Texas Motor Speedway recently unveiled its "Hawg Heaven Bacon Cotton Candy." It's one of several new concession offerings that will hit NASCAR race tracks in 2013. Photo by LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

NASCAR's annual Media Tour began on Jan. 21. That first day featured a rocky conclusion when three busloads of hungry-for-news -- or just plain hungry -- reporters were stuck on North Carolina's highway 80 for hours.

Tuesday began smoother, with Furniture Row Racing staging interviews with Kurt Busch and others in a banquet hall set up as a big living room complete with couches. In previous years, we were taken to an outlet store to stand there amongst bedding and other knick-knacks, which was an even more unique setting for a press event.

This time, however, we learned some new racing lingo such as “battle damage” for occasions like the recent crash in preseason testing at Daytona International Speedway. Or “Nomex cologne,” which former Sprint Cup Series champ Busch used to describe how the son of his girlfriend got the need for speed in a race car.

My favorite quip of the morning was during our visit with Michael Waltrip Racing. Reflecting the influence of 54-year-old driver Mark Martin due to his fitness regimen, team owner Michael Waltrip promised to build the “best gym in NASCAR.” While its stated purpose was to be available to all MWR employees, Waltrip turned to Martin and said, “It's [really] to give us the opportunity to watch you lift stuff.”

In the runner-up comment of the day, Waltrip -- a two-time Daytona 500 winner -- added that the team will institute “Hip-Hop Wednesday” (ala casual Friday) at MWR in honor of Martin's music preference.

In the afternoon, Speedway Motorsports Inc.'s urban renewal juggernaut kept rolling along with the recent addition of the Champion's Pavilion at Charlotte Motor Speedway. There we were entertained by all the track bosses under the SMI umbrella.

Naturally, SMI chairman and octogenarian Bruton Smith played ringmaster to the occasion. Some of the announcements of upcoming promotions for fans were startling and generous.

One of my favorites was called Bruton's Big Giveaway at Bristol Motor Speedway, which will award 10, yes 10, Ford Mustangs to 10 lucky ticket buyers. This promotion was worth $250,000 (according to the press release) or $300,000 (according to Bristol Motor Speedway general manager Jerry Caldwell in Charlotte).

Bruton saved his highest praise for Chris Powell, who heads Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He remarked that LVMS had a three-day sale of tickets totaling 345,000. No, not for a NASCAR race. It was for the Electric Daisy Carnival running from June 8-10. Selling 345,000 tickets for anything is commendable.

For the well-heeled fan, $10,000 will get you a numbered ticket, limited to 100, which includes admission to all SMI-promoted NASCAR events, VIP parking, admission to the drivers' meetings and garage tours. And, if that's not enough, your own concierge.

The daytime activities ended with a smorgasbord not solely to influence the always-hungry media, but to show off the elaborate food offerings to fans at SMI-owned tracks this year including:

Charlotte Motor Speedway's Carolina Sampler consisting of redneck egg rolls: collard greens and North Carolina pork barbecue, hand rolled and deep fried, served with vinegar barbecue sauce. Barbecue on a stick, and jalapeno and bacon hushpuppies will also be offered.

Atlanta Motor Speedway rolled out Coke Zero-braised beef tacos. Only in NASCAR can a taco have its own sponsor. What's next? A Mobil 1 cheeseburger? A Home Depot hot dog? Actually, the hot dogs sold at Home Depot are pretty good . . .

Las Vegas Motor Speedway showed off its Speedway Full House Fries; New Hampshire Motor Speedway its famous Lobster Mac and Cheese; the Raceway at Sonoma promoted its country-fried wine dog with slaw; Kentucky Speedway its deep-fried bourbon ball.

In other words, the 2013 Cup season promises plenty of stories on the track, plenty of snacks off of it. I'm ready.